ST.PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — A Tampa-based housing developer believes shipping containers could help solve the area’s high-priced housing problem.
Johnathan Sands and his company, Stress Free Housing is bringing the concept to downtown St.Petersburg.
He tells 8 On Your Side they’re building 31 of the 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom units.
The location for the apartment community is just blocks from Central Avenue and Tropicana Field.
Units are just 320 square feet, but Sands says they’ll be priced 30% lower than the area’s average rental cost.
“With the cost of construction going up so much, I don’t know that we could be could be competitive and bring a product to market because of the rising costs,” he explained. “As a shipping container, it’s already built, highly durable and because the shell is already there, the construction can go much faster than typical construction and stick build.”
The company expects construction to be finished in 12 to 14 months.
